The new companions, thrust together by events, rounds the corner. There they find a much larger assembly of goblins - eight footsoldiers of the type they have already encountered; two somewhat more fearsome-looking goblin warriors carrying bows and polearms, mounted on scabby mounts that look like someone crossed a bald rat with a mangy dog and added extra malevolence; and an extremely ugly female goblin, also astride one of the rat-like mounts, wielding a whip and chanting the horrid goblin ditty you heard before. A number of the footsoldiers have lighted torches and, gibbering with glee, they seem to be about the throw them on to the new temple roof.

OK, let's go to coordinates. Assume that you and the goblins are standing in a rectangular courtyard or square, bordered by buildings (including the temple) 60' by 70'. Breaking it up into 5' squares, letters A to L run along the top, left to right (west to east) while the numbers 1 to 14 run top to bottom (north to south). Each coordinate, e.g. D3, represents a 5' square. You are recommended to draw this out - there are a lot of combatants, it's a big space, and experience of these things from my Eberron campaign tells me that you can lose your place very easily without a map.

The temple runs along the whole length of the west side of the square. The south side of the square is open to the larger plaza where you were standing before. The east side of the square is made up of two buildings, with a 10' road running east from L7 and L8. Similarly, the north side of the square is bordered by buildings except for a street running north from E1 and F1.

Assume that you, the party, are standing on either A13, B13, A14 or B14 (player's choice) having just come round the corner. Don't worry about several characters standing in the same space - you are not in combat just yet. When you get to your initiative, you will be in combat and may need to move to ensure that you are in a 5' square by yourself.

There is a large pile of firewood piled up against the side of the temple (Health and Safety never being a big concern in Sandpoint) at A3, B3, A4 and B4, which is effectively impassable. Clustered around it are the eight footsoldiers (at A2, B2, C2, C3, C4, C5, B5, and A5). The two tough-looking mounted goblins are at E3 and F4, while the female singer is at F2.

The mounted goblins spot the party as they barrel round the corner. The dig out potions from inside their studded leather jerkins, yank out the stoppers with their filthy teeth, and glug down the contents.

I charge from B13 to C6, attacking the footsoldier in C5 with my charge. Rolls a 15+7 to hit for 22 total, 9+4 for 13 damage with the Hook.

Dravite charges forward towards the closest footsoldier and pierces the creature with his vicious Ogrehook. Looking at the mounted guards he sneers and makes a motion with his finger, gesturing for them to come on over.

BTW Aubrey, I will be unavailable from early AM tomorrow and almost all day, I may have a couple windows to post throughout the day but for the most part I won't be around. My son is getting tubes put in his ears.

Well, you did warn us Aubrey, that having an eight character group was going to slow things down...

Maybe a 24 hour rule where the DM takes a players turn if they don't post in 24 hours would help. Also if you know you won't be around for a bit, post an SOP(standard operating procedure) or the PCs next move, for that pc. I think I will add this to my PC profile if it is ever needed for my dude.

As part of that, If I am ever not around for a bit Dravite will attack whatever looks to be one of the most powerful, closest creatures in a group (even if that means provoking AoOs), OR a giant. He hates Giants and will fight them over any other NPCs around.

Elisile rounds the corner, and quickly scans the area, assessing the situation. A number of her impromptu allies charge forward to engage the enemy, or else move to more strategic locations.

Of the enemy, it appears that a number of the goblins are about to put the large building to flame. They would appear to be a target of priority, but Elisile realised that it was extremely unlikely that all eight torch wielding goblins could be dealt with in the few seconds before they would throw their torches. At a worst case scenario, the building burning to the ground, the townsfolk in the square would have time to get away, and this building could be rebuilt in a few short years, decades at most.

No, the priority target here was the leader – presumably the singing goblin female near the back of the warband. Elisile would trust in the humans and the dwarf to deal with the goblin toughs – she would go after the leader.

On her turn:

Spoiler:

Elisile moves from B14 to H13, and fires her longbow at the singing female goblin. Attack roll: 15+4 = 19. If it hits; Damage: 8.

Dammit. Vethran was nowhere to be seen. Illes darted through the scattering crowd like a fish working its way upstream all the while scanning faces worriedly. If he let his cousin get killed by a band of scabbed up goblins while he was off trying to charm some dull-witted peasant girl, well- there would be no going home after that. And it was certain that wherever Vethran was, he was trying to get himself into as much trouble as possible. That seemed to be precisely the kind of thing the kid was looking for on this aimless journey. It went hand in hand with his unhealthy obsession with burning things. Like he was always looking for an excuse...

Finally, he broke past the last of the fleeing crowd just in time to see Vethran rushing into the center of a square dominated by mounted goblins and a sizable force of foot soldiers. Illes sighed with relief and grinned in anticipation as worry was quickly overtaken by adrenaline. Hardly fair for that goblin witch back there to sing unaccompanied.

As he breaks across the square to Vethran, Illes yanks his flute free from his belt and stops once it is in hand to counter with the culmination of a frenzied Varisian fireside dance song.

Enter from the East on row 8, just beyond the square.
MA: Move 30' to G8
SA: Inspire Courage (+1 attack/damage to all allies who can hear me)

Elisile's arrow strikes true. The female goblin is cut off mid-dirge, and slides off the saddle of her mount on to the floor. Meanwhile, Hudak charges and with a high sweeping blow virtually cuts a goblin in half down the middle in a fountain of blood and viscera (and he hadn't even bothered to sharpen his sword that morning).

The goblins shriek with rage and press their attack. Most come spilling round the stack of firewood to get at Hudak and Dravite. Two however, notice Illes and charge at him. Those attacking Hudak have mixed results - one scores Hudak across the chest with its blade, the other shatters its weapon on Hudak shield and stands holding the hilt and sniffling dejectedly. The two on Dravite fail to connect with the dwarf at all. Of the two attacking Illes, one manages to get in a nick on his arm.

Big goblin shift about: goblins are now at A5, B5, C5, D5, F8 and G7. The one in B5 has effectively disarmed itself. Hudak takes 3 points of damage, Illes takes 1 point of damage.

The two mounted toughs head for Lo'j, swinging their polearms and whooping. One strikes a savage blow to Lo'j, and the bite from its dander-crusted mount drives him to the floor, bleeding and unconscious. The other hits Gurney, wounding the dog badly and causing him to fall to the ground, whimpering.

I'm assuming Gurney is on K5, next to Lo'j. The toughs have moved to J5 and J6. Lo'j has taken 7 points of damage from the gobli and 4 from its mount, for a total of 11. Gurney has taken 9.

Arrr, they dropped the dog-lover! Stay here, baldy, ye can have my 2 if'n you need to track yer kills....
Dravite charges to I5 and attacks the tough in J6. That move draws 2 AoOs from the 2 footsoldiers on me. To hit=10, damage=8 but I believe I missed.
My AC is 15 for charging.

"Shoanti! Help the dwarf!" Vethran calls out to Hudak as he steps into position. "I'll handle these..." the mage says, grinning wickedly.

Free action to call out to Hudak, 5-foot-step to C8. Delaying action until Hudak moves out of the way, and then casting burning hands which should hit the goblins in B5, C5, and D5 without catching the wood. This will reduce my initiative to 8. Obviously, if Hudak is unable to move (for whatever reason), my action may change. I'm delaying until after Hudak regardless and, in the interest of speeding things up, thought I'd declare my intent. :)

Larken, noting that while the good guys seem to be winning, they're "taking it in the shorts" (as his Uncle Raivan used to say), decides to enter the fray. He eases behind an overly-focused goblin, looks for the "sweet spot", and thrusts. Unlike the warriors in the group, he does this passionlessly, no more excited than if he were scraping dung from his shoe.

Since Ilthers is in Greece, he won't post for a few more hours. So, in the interest of efficiency, here's my action, to be implemented on my turn:

** spoiler omitted **

Not to wet blanket anything but I can't find a clear path for your charge from where you started, I had you as starting around the A10-B11 area by last reckoning. From any of those squares the charge is blocked by either Larken, Illes, or a Gobbo footsoldier. Did you have a different start location and if so what was it so I can correct my map?

Not to wet blanket anything but I can't find a clear path for your charge from where you started, I had you as starting around the A10-B11 area by last reckoning. From any of those squares the charge is blocked by either Larken, Illes, or a Gobbo footsoldier. Did you have a different start location and if so what was it so I can correct my map?

Kind of looks that way to me too actually. Of course, Illes could finish off his goblin and move north to clear the path! Or, I think he could charge to space J7 or K7, and use that attack on goblin J6 instead?

So far as I can tell, Alwyn can't charge to where he says he is. However, if Illes takes out his goblin and moves, then Alwyn can charge through. If not, Alwyn can charge the remaining goblin on Illes instead.

K7 definitely. You and Dravite will both give +3 to damage for the flanking. Well, maybe just you get the bonus since nothing is going to live through that hit. Or does the aura only work when Lo'j is conscious and directing?

Slightly out of order, but to save waiting 15-16 hours for me to post…

The loud, armoured human with the dog, who had run in, shouting out orders and tactics (“Flank them! Aim for the back of their necks!”)(I assume that’s how the aura of command works?) – had been taken down by the two goblin cavalry.

Good tactical position thought Elisile. If you know you have allies you can rely on. And if you don’t look like the biggest, most easily accessible threat.

The elf sighed, and prepared to turn her bow on the two goblins, for what good that might do – the man was likely dead, and even if he was not, she could not take down both goblins and their mounts before they could make sure he was – and none of the others in the square were in a good position to help him.

Just then, much to her surprise, the savage looking dwarf charged over to assist the downed man, opening himself up to attack from the goblins he had been facing. The Shoanti warrior – or was he a priest? – whom she had spoken to earlier also weaved around some other combatants and hacked down one of the goblins.

It was good that they had come to the downed human’s assistance – but it made it difficult to use her bow in the confusing melee.

On her turn:

Spoiler:

Elisile will cast aside her bow (free action), and, drawing her rapier as she moves, move to space I7 (assuming it is not occupied by Alwyn).
She strikes at the rat-like mount of the goblin in J6.
Attack Roll: 18+5 = 23. Roll to confirm critical: 17+5 = 22
Damage: (4+2) + (5+2) = 13 – assuming it is a critical hit and the +1 from inspire courage applies to both damage rolls.

As the goblins closed in on him Illes wisely broke off the tune and grabbed for his rapier, but he was too slow and the lead goblin managed to slash the arm holding his flute. Eyes wild with indignation, the Varisian sizes up his opponent. "Very nice toadskin. But I'll see you that, and raise you this..." With that he steps forward fluidly thrusting his blade through the goblins abdomen and yanking it free steps past it in a quick spin.

MA: Draw Rapier
SA: Rapier: 21 (19+2)
Confirm Crit: 20 (18+2)
Damage: 9 (5+4)
5' Step to F7
I thought I was about to follow that earlier post up with my IC one but had to leave for a while so sorry about the confusion there. K7 was just my suggestion for Alwyn. I don't see anyone blocking his path from B11 to there, but maybe it doesn't work for a charge since it isn't the absolute closest square he could attack from in a straight line. Either way, I'll finish my action by taking a 5' step and clearing the path.

Alwin has a clear run to either J7 or K7 to get his attack off now(probably killing the mounted gobbo). Lo'j needs to roll to see if he stabilizes or he takes 1 damage. Elisile is attacking the mount in J6(possibly slaying it also), and that makes it Hudak's turn. (just summarizing to keep things smooth).

Illes offs his attacker and dodges aside as Alwyn charges through the gap and mashes the hapless goblin mounted goblin with his greatsword. Elisile's rush with her rapier despatches the goblin's mount.

Alwyn is now at J7, Elisilie at I7. By the way, Fakey - good work in the deputy DM slot.